When Chris Evans showed up in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, it was a fun moment, but it may have also hinted at something more significant for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)‘s Fantastic Four. The Multiverse Saga has struggled to maintain the momentum of the Infinity Saga. However, thanks to the presence of the multiverse, it’s opened the door to including dozens of incredible cameos that would not work anywhere else in the MCU.

This was best seen in films like Spider-Man: No Way Home, and ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine. Both movies made great use of bringing back characters from outside the MCU and making them a part of the story. Sure, it may be nostalgia bait on the surface, but Marvel Studios also did a great job of making them important to the narrative. And this could also be especially true in the case of Chris Evans’ brief but poignant appearance in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine.

ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine’s Chris Evans Cameo Was Surprising For More Than One Reason

The Human Torch Was A Delightful Surprise In ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine

Chris Evans was one of the original Avengers during the Infinity Saga. In 2011, Evans debuted as Captain America, and his role in the MCU began to snowball into becoming the leader of the Avengers team. But when the Infinity Saga concluded, Steve Rogers, aka Cap, decided to retire from hero duties, and spend his life with his beloved Peggy Carter. With this in mind, there was very little reason to expect Evans would be returning any time soon.

However, ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine cleverly used the actor in a very different way, having him reprise an earlier Marvel role as The Human Torch. Back in 2005, Evans was cast as Johnny Storm in a live-action film, and while the movie performed adequately, the team was retired after the sequel came out in 2007. But beyond being a fun cameo, this return could have hinted at something much bigger for the MCU.

The Human Torch’s Comments About His Mister Fantastic Make One MCU Theory Possible

The Human Torch Ended Up In The Void For A Reason

Johnny Storm is trapped inside the Void by the time he meets ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool in the MCU. However, the Void is a place for variants, and those who stray from their intended timeline. So, the fact that he is here suggests something happened in his reality to knock things off course. And the fact that Johnny mentions Reed’s theories about the Void and what it was could suggest that the entire team was sent to the Void, or that Reed’s research had led him to discover more about the multiverse itself.

This is significant because it appears to reflect what is due to happen in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, with Reed Richards trying to discover more about the multiverse, and causing major issues for his timeline. In this way, the presence of Evans as The Human Torch may have hinted at the consequences for the MCU’s Fantastic Four. Reed’s research could spell disaster for not only their world, but their entire reality, and lead to attacks from characters like Galactus and even Doctor Doom.

The MCU Theory Would Explain Why The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Plot Looks So Intense

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Is Set To Shake Up The MCU

The stakes have never been higher for a single team of heroes than they are about to be for The Fantastic Four. Colossal world-eating monsters are on the warpath to destroy them, and their reality is in danger. Not to mention, The Fantastic Four are the only heroes in their timeline, so they have no backup to call on. And it makes sense that all of this chaos and disaster was something that characters like Chris Evans’ Johnny Storm had already seen happen in his timeline, or that could have occurred if they weren’t pruned and placed into the Void.

The TVA’s entire purpose is to ensure the timelines don’t spiral out of control, and if Reed’s research into the Multiverse could have caused the literal end of his timeline, that may have been reason enough for the TVA to intervene. However, the TVA is under new management in the MCU, and they may no longer be in the position to help avoid disasters like the one that Johnny Storm suffered through to wind up in the Void in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine.